Static removing hairbrush

ABSTRACT

A static removing hairbrush that dissipates electrostatic charges from hair and brush by providing a circuit away from hair being brushed and away from the user. The brush has a plurality of conductive bristles embedded in a bristle carrier member that is also conductive and is connected to a ground wire. The ground wire has a terminal for attachment to an electrical ground. The ground wire may be furnished in two detachable sections, so that the type of terminal is interchangeable in order to attach a single hairbrush body to any available electrical ground.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to personal grooming devices. More specifically, the invention is a hairbrush that will remove static electricity from hair.

[0003] 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

[0004] Electrostatic charges often build up when brushing hair with brushes made with dielectric materials, such as natural bristles, nylon, and plastic. Compounds have been developed to give brush bristles non-static properties but brushes treated with them do nothing to dissipate electrostatic charges resident in the hair. To solve this problem, coatings containing powdered carbon and metals were developed to give conductive properties to dielectric bristles. Conductive bristles are used in brushes that provide a path for an electrostatic charge from the hair being brushed to the hand holding the brush. The present invention provides a more efficient path for the electrostatic charge to dissipate from hair being brushed and eliminates the risk to the hair stylist or individual brushing their own hair from suffering a potentially stinging static shock.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 2,665,443, issued Jun. 4, 1949 to Simon et al., describes treating hair brushes with bristles made from dielectric materials such as plastic or natural bristles with long chain fatty acid partial esters known as etymols will give the brushes antistatic properties. Simon does not claim to discharge a static charge that has built up in the hair prior to brushing.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,776, issued Mar. 10, 1981 to Paolo Cantelli, describes an apparatus that uses an electrode and a piezoelectric transducer for neutralizing electrostatic charges and for removing dust from various objects. Cantelli describes an embodiment of his invention which can be manipulated like an ordinary comb to collect dust and dandruff from hair and to clean the scalp, but does not suggest an inexpensive, simple grounding solution.

[0007] U.S. Pat. 4,610,925 issued Sep. 9, 1986 to William B. Bond describes a hairbrush bristle constructed with a polymeric sheath containing carbon to serve as a conductor in order to remove static during brushing. Bond does not show a means for dissipating the charge from the conductive bristle.

[0008] U.S. Pat. number 4,797,966 issued Jan. 17, 1989 to James C. Fong describes an anti-electrostatic hair brush that eliminates the electrostatic charge in a user's hair by providing a discharge circuit from the brush handle to the user's hand. Fong does not teach using a ground wire to dissipate the electrostatic charge from the brush.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,491 issued Sep. 29, 1991 to Shigeki Ikemoto discloses an anti-static brush with special conductive bristles and a conductive brush base to send the charge to a finger or thumb of the user. Ikemoto, like Fong, makes no provision to dissipate the electrostatic charge with a ground wire.

[0010] None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a static removing hairbrush solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention provides a hair brush that dissipates electrostatic charges resident in hair through a ground wire to any readily available, safe ground connection. The brush has a plurality of conductive bristles embedded in a bristle carrier member that is also conductive and is connected to a ground wire. The ground wire terminates in a device adapted for attachment to a ground, e.g., a clamp which can be fixed to a plumbing pipe, a plug for attachment to a wall outlet, or a plug for attachment to a cigarette lighter. The ground wire may have a quick connect fitting which allows the type of grounding terminal to be interchangable.

[0012] Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to dissipate electrostatic charges that build up in hair being brushed.

[0013] It is another object of the invention to eliminate the condition of hair standing out or separating when being brushed, a condition exacerbated by blow drying during brushing.

[0014] It is a further object of the invention to reduce splitting, breaking, and hair loss due to electrostatic charges.

[0015] Still another object of the invention is to offer a hair brush that will stay cleaner longer than conventional brushes because it does not collect dandruff and hair particles that cling to brushes carrying an electrostatic charge.

[0016] It is. a further object of the invention to eliminate uncomfortable shocks from electrostatic charges built up and stored when brushing hair, especially in regions with low humidity climates, such as deserts and areas with dry, cold winters.

[0017] It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.

[0018] These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019]FIG. 1 is an perspective view of a static removing hairbrush according to the present invention.

[0020]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the hair brush of the present invention.

[0021]FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are perspective views of various ground wire extensions used with the hairbrush of the present invention.

[0022] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The present invention is a static removing hairbrush, and in particular a brush that provides a path to dissipate electrostatic charges from hair being brushed to an electrical ground.

[0024] As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention is a hairbrush 10 having a plurality of bristles 12 that project from a bristle carrier member 14. A length of insulated ground wire 16 of a specified gauge exits the handle portion 34 of the brush 10.

[0025] A plurality of bristles 12 of a predetermined diameter and length are embedded in and make electrical connection in series with the bristle carrier member 14. The bristles 12 are metallic or have dielectric core materials including plastic, natural bristle, or nylon that are sheathed in a conductive coating making them electrically conductive.

[0026] The bristle carrier member 14 is substantially planar and is made from a material that is electrically conductive, is treated with a conductive coating, or has conductive material incorporated in it. The ground wire 16 is attached to and makes an electrical connection in series with the contact part 13 of the bristle carrier member 14 within the handle 34 portion of the brush.

[0027] With the exception of the contact part 13, the bristle carrier member 14 is substantially the shape of the opening in the frame-like housing face 30 but is measurably wider.

[0028] The brush housing face 30 and hairbrush back 32, shown in FIG. 2, are molded from plastic or other nonconducting material. The frame-like portion of the housing face 30 overlaps the wider bristle carrier member 14 and holds it snugly in place against the housing back 32 when the two pieces of the brush housing are fitted together and connected by a fastening means, such as snap-fit moldings, glue, rivets, screws, or nuts and bolts.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 2, the ground wire 16 on a second embodiment of the present invention terminates in an electrical jack 18. Plugs 20 for insertion in jack 18 are shown in FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B, and FIG. 3C. Each plug 20 is connected to a length of insulated ground wire 16. Devices designed to make electrical connection with a conductive body, including a 120 V household outlet ground 22, a 12 V automotive outlet ground 24 or cigarette lighter plug, and a spring-loaded clamp 26, are connected to the opposite end of the terminal portion of the ground wire 16.

[0030] In a third embodiment of the current invention shown in FIG. 2, an extension of the bristle carrier member 15 that is substantially the same shape is mounted between the lower surface of the bristle carrier member 14 and the interior of the brush portion of housing back 32. The extension 15 is made of an electrically conductive material, such as a metal plate, metallic wire, mesh, screen, or other material with a conductive coating and connects electrically in series with the base portions of the bristles 12 at the lower surface of bristle carrier member 14 and with contact part 13 which connects electrically in series with ground wire 16.

[0031] In use, the brush provides a path for an electrostatic charge to dissipate residual charges from hair and charges that develop when hair is being brushed. Electrostatic charges travel from the hair to the bristles 12, then to the bristle carrier member 14 or an extension 15 of the carrier member, then to contact part 13, and then to a ground wire 16 terminating in a device adapted for attachment to an electrical ground. In the second embodiment of the present invention, instead of a one-piece ground wire 16, the ground wires is in two pieces, with one portion fixed to the hairbrush, and the second portion terminating in the device adapted for attachment to an electrical ground, the two sections of ground wire being removably connected by jacks 18 and 20, including a male plug and female socket, to permit a single hairbrush body to be used with a variety of electrical grounds, including plugs to take advantage of commonly available connections such as a 120 V household electrical outlet and the outer ring of a 12 V cigarette lighter socket in an automobile.

[0032] In this manner, the present invention removes damaging electrostatic charges from hair, protects persons from potentially stinging static shocks after brushing hair, and provides a brush that does not attract dandruff and hair particles.

[0033] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. 

We claim:
 1. A static removing hairbrush comprising: a plurality of bristles made of electrically conductive material or having such material incorporated therein or applied to the surface thereof; a bristle carrier member combined electrically in series connection with said bristles, said carrier member being electrically conductive, said bristle carrier having a contact part; an insulated ground wire electrically connected to said contact part of said bristle carrier; a terminal electrically connected to said ground wire, the terminal being adapted for attachment to an electrical ground; and a hairbrush housing, said bristle carrier member being disposed in said housing.
 2. The hairbrush according to claim 1, wherein said ground wire comprises: a first section of wire having a first end fixed in electrical contact with the contact part of said bristle carrier member and a second end having a female electrical connector attached thereto; and a second section of wire having a third end terminating in a male electrical connector releasably attachable to said female electrical connector, and a second end terminating in said terminal.
 3. The hairbrush according to claim 1, wherein said terminal comprises a clamp adapted for attachment to a grounded plumbing pipe.
 4. The hairbrush according to claim 1, wherein said terminal comprises a plug adapted for attachment to a grounded wall outlet.
 5. The hairbrush according to claim 1, wherein said terminal comprises a plug adapted for attachment to a motor vehicle cigarette lighter outlet. 